Of her own accord, Coco stopped before the wide steps where an old servant, warned by the lodge-keeper's bell, stood waiting.
"Are you there, Bastien?" asked M. Vulfran, without getting down.
"Then take this young girl to the butterfly room, which is to be hers in the future. See that everything is given to her that she needs. Set her plate opposite to mine at table. Now send Felix to me. I want him to drive me to the office."
"We dine at eight o'clock," said M. Vulfran. "Until then you are free to do as you like."
She got out of the carriage quickly and followed the old butler. She was so dazed that it was as though she had suddenly been set down in an enchanted palace.
And was not this beautiful chateau like a palace? The monumental hall, from which rose a wonderful stairway of white marble, up which ran a crimson carpet, was a delight to the eyes. On each landing exquisite flowers and plants were grouped artistically in pots and jardinieres. Their perfume filled the air.
Bastien took her to the second floor, and without entering opened the door of a room for her.
"I'll send the chambermaid to you," he said, leaving her.
She passed through a somber little hall, then found herself in a very large room draped with ivory colored cretonne patterned with butterflies in vivid shades. The furniture was ivory colored wood, and the carpet gray, with clusters of wild flowers, primrose, poppies, cornflowers and buttercups.
She was still in a dream, pushing her feet into the soft carpet, when the maid entered.
"Bastien told me that I was to be at your service, mademoiselle," she said.
Here stood a chambermaid in a clean light dress and a muslin cap at her service ... she who only a few days before had slept in a hut on a bed of ferns with rats and frogs scampering about her.
"Thank you," she said at last, collecting her wits, "but I do not need anything ... at least I think not."
"If you like I will show you the apartment," said the maid.
What she meant by "show the apartment" was to throw open the doors of a big wardrobe with glass doors, and a closet, then to pull out the drawers of the dressing table in which were brushes, scissors, soaps and bottles, etc. That done, she showed Perrine two knobs on the wall.